Clam Chowder 2 Recipes

Steps:

• Place a large pot or rondeau on the stove and add 3 cups water. Bring the water to a boil and add the clams. Cook until the clams pop open. Though it is important to stir the clams as they cook, take care because the shells are fragile and break easily. Put the clams in a colander and reserve the cooking liquid. Shell the clams; discard the shells and reserve the clam meat and the liquid separately. Add the bacon to another large pot and cook over medium heat until crispy. Drain the bacon with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel, dust with Aleppo pepper and set aside. Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pot and quickly cook the celery, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Remove the celery with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the garlic, leeks and onions to the pot and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cook until the vegetables become tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vermouth. Continue to cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large pot, combine the cream, thyme, potatoes and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Add a splash of hot sauce and Worcestershire. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning. There is a good chance there will be grit in the clam cooking liquid. Strain it and add it to the onion/leek mixture. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning. Combine with the potato mixture. Add the clam meat, reserved celery, tarragon and dill. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the marsala. Taste for seasoning. Add more cream and water if needed. Top with the bacon just before serving and serve with the Baked Bread. Cook's Note: When you strain the clam liquid, line the strainer with cheesecloth to catch any remaining grit.
• Baked Bread for Clam Chowder Dipping:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat and add the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Heat gently for 1 minute. Use a pastry brush to coat the bread slices with the butter. Pour any remaining butter into the bottom of the baking sheet. Dust the bread with the paprika and dill seeds. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake until the slices are browned and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool for a minute before serving alongside the soup.
• Active Time: 50 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes; remove to paper towels.
• In drippings remaining in saucepan over medium heat, cook celery and onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.
• Add potatoes, clam juice, clams with their liquid and milk. Over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon. Serve with oyster crackers if desired.

Steps:

• Put the clams in a large, heavy Dutch oven, add about 4 cups water, then set over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until clams have opened, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. (Clams that fail to open after 15 to 20 minutes should be discarded.) Strain clam broth through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or doubled-up paper towels, and set aside. Remove clams from shells, and set aside as well.
• Rinse out the pot, and return it to the stove. Add butter, and turn heat to medium-low. Add bacon or salt pork, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pork has started to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pork from fat, and set aside.
• Add the leeks to the fat, and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes and wine, and continue cooking until wine has evaporated and the potatoes have just started to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add enough clam broth to just cover the potatoes, approximately 3 cups, reserving the rest for another use. Add the thyme and the bay leaf.
• Partly cover the pot, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the clams into bits about the size of the bacon dice.
• When potatoes are tender, add cream and stir in chopped clams and reserved bacon. Add black pepper to taste. Let come to a simmer, and remove from heat. (Do not let chowder come to a full boil.) Fish out the thyme and the bay leaf, and discard.
• The chowder should be allowed to sit for a while to cure. Reheat it to a bare simmer before serving, then garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with oyster crackers.

Steps:

• Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
• Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside. Saute celery and onion in the drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, water, clam juice, bouillon, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes., In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half until smooth. Gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes., Stir in clams and remaining half-and-half; heat through (do not boil). Crumble the cooked bacon; sprinkle over each serving.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium high heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the pan, crumble and set aside.
• In the same saucepan with the bacon fat, saute the onion and potatoes for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well to coat.
• Pour in the clam juice, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
• Add the half-and-half and minced clams and season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, whisk in the heavy cream, if desired. Allow to heat through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with the parsley and crumbled bacon. (Note: Do not boil if adding cream.)